Home invasion charges filed against man police say forced his way into home with toy gun

Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Published Monday March 4, 2013 at 6:00 am

Updated Monday March 4, 2013 at 2:26 pm

A Worcester man is scheduled to be arraigned in Central District Court today on charges he forced his way into a Suffield Street apartment Saturday armed with a toy gun.

Christopher Mason, 26, of 9 Mount Vernon St., is facing charges of home invasion, three counts of witness intimidation, six counts of threatening to commit a crime, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Police also filed a charge of malicious destruction of property valued at more than $250 against Mr. Mason.

Police were called to a Suffield Street apartment about 8 a.m. on a report of a home invasion. A 46-year-old man, a 45-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy were sleeping in the apartment when a man, identified later as Mr. Mason, knocked on the door, police said.

The woman answered the door. Police said Mr. Mason demanded to speak to the man living there.

“The suspect was yelling that he had money owed to him,” police said. “The suspect lifted up his shirt and exposed a handgun that was in his waistband. The victim stated that the suspect threatened to harm all three victims if he did not receive his money.”

The woman told police she tried to shut the rear door but Mr. Mason forced his way into the rear foyer. The man and the boy heard the noise and came out.

“The suspect encountered the adult male who owed him the money. The suspect continued to threaten the three occupants with physical harm if he didn’t receive the money,” police said. “The male victim managed to convince the suspect to take the argument outside. As the suspect walked out of the apartment the victims secured the door behind him and called police.”

The man living in the apartment told police he knew Mr. Mason. Police were given a description of Mr. Mason and his vehicle. An officer near Lincoln Street saw the vehicle and pulled it over at Oak Avenue and Kendall Street.

The victims identified Mr. Mason as the suspect. Police said they found a replica toy handgun in the car. No one was hurt.

Contact Scott J. Croteau at scroteau@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ScottCroteauTG